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09/07/2026 3:29 pm
TL;DR: Geopolitical instability often coincides with increased cyber activity, account compromise attempts, internet-facing attacks, DDoS, misinformation, and recovery pressure, according to Commvault. The identity takeaway is that heightened alert modes only work when access discipline, remote access monitoring, and restoration readiness are already operationalised.
NHIMG editorial — based on content published by Commvault: guidance on cyber posture during geopolitical instability
Questions worth separating out
Q: How should security teams respond when geopolitical instability increases cyber risk?
A: They should move into a pre-defined heightened alert mode that increases monitoring, slows non-essential changes, and accelerates incident-response readiness.
Q: Why do identity controls matter more during regional conflict and instability?
A: Threat actors often exploit user accounts, remote access, and social engineering when defenders are distracted by broader instability.
Q: What breaks when organisations do not rehearse recovery under real access conditions?
A: Recovery breaks when backups exist but authentication, approvals, or recovery identities are not available in the moment they are needed.
Practitioner guidance
- Define a heightened-alert trigger matrix Document the exact conditions that move security operations into heightened alert mode, including increased login review, tighter change control, and incident-response stand-up criteria.
- Increase review of unusual authentication activity Tighten detection and investigation for atypical logins, impossible travel, new device access, and privileged sessions that occur outside normal business patterns.
- Reassess remote access exposure Inventory internet-facing access paths, remote administration tools, and externally reachable identity systems.
What's in the full article
Commvault's full post covers the operational detail this post intentionally leaves for the source:
- A practical checklist for deciding when to move into heightened alert mode and what changes first.
- Specific guidance on credential rotation, login review, and remote access hardening during instability.
- Recovery readiness steps for verifying backup restoratability and access to critical services.
- Links to government and industry advisories cited by the vendor for continuing threat monitoring.
👉 Read Commvault's guidance on cyber posture during geopolitical instability →
Geopolitical instability and cyber posture: what IAM teams should tighten?
Explore further
09/07/2026 3:50 pm
Heightened alert mode is an identity governance state, not a communications slogan. Organisations that say they will be more vigilant during instability often lack the criteria that actually change control behaviour. Without explicit thresholds for monitoring, change restriction, and escalation, the posture shift remains aspirational. The practical consequence is that IAM, PAM, and NHI teams need a defined operating mode before the crisis, not reactive judgement during it.
A few things that frame the scale:
- 91% of former employee tokens remain active after offboarding, leaving organisations vulnerable to potential security breaches, according to The 2025 State of NHIs and Secrets in Cybersecurity.
- 62% of all secrets are duplicated and stored in multiple locations, increasing the risk of accidental exposure and making crisis-period governance harder to sustain.
A question worth separating out:
Q: Who is accountable for tightening cyber posture during geopolitical instability?
A: Accountability should sit with the security leader, identity owner, infrastructure teams, and incident-response lead under a shared operating plan. The important question is not who issued a warning, but who can change access policy, monitoring thresholds, and restoration readiness when the threat picture changes. Shared accountability prevents delayed action.
👉 Read our full editorial: Heightened cyber alert during geopolitical instability: identity risks rise
